Newcastle's hopes of Champions League football next season were dealt another major blow when Dion Dublin came off the bench to snatch a point for Aston Villa.

United, who lost skipper Alan Shearer to a nasty head wound, had taken the lead through Nolberto Solano's superbly executed free-kick before the break, but Dublin took advantage of some slack marking to level.

Substitute Lomana LuaLua hit the post at the death as the Magpies battled desperately for a winner, but the third place which had so long looked theirs for the taking has now been prised from their grasp, leaving them looking anxiously over their shoulders.

Newcastle had never lost four successive games under Sir Bobby Robson before this match, and the 70-year-old left his players in little doubt as to the consequences of collecting an unwanted record.

With key men Laurent Robert, Gary Speed and Jermaine Jenas, all of whom might all have started the game had they been fit, missing, it was with some trepidation that the home supporters arrived for a game they knew their side must win if they are to book the Champions League place their season so far has deserved.

The significance of the fact that Villa headed for Tyneside having done their opponents a favour by defeating closest rivals Chelsea on Saturday was lost on no-one, and the first half unfolded as a tight affair in which the Magpies dominated without ever enjoying complete control.

With Olivier Bernard asked to fill Robert's boots wide on the left and Hugo Viana playing in his favoured central role, Robson's men had to be patient as the visitors got men behind the ball and caused problems of sorts for the home defence through Darius Vassell and Marcus Allback.

It was Villa who forced the first real saves of the game as Shay Given had to get down well to keep out a mishit Vassell drive and then use his fingertips to ward off a much better connection on 26 minutes.

But as the pressure started to mount at the other end, Shearer, who had been left with a nasty wound after a clash of heads with Gareth Barry, powered a header from a Viana corner past Peter Enckelman only for Thomas Hitzlsperger to clear off the line.

Referee Jeff Winter had not made any friends among the home supporters in the early stages of the game, but redeemed himself to an extent eight minutes before the break when he penalised Barry for a foul on Kieron Dyer and then booked the England international for kicking the ball away.

His stock rose even further when he marched the ball 10 yards forwards, and after Viana had dummied to shoot high to Enckelman's right, Solano whipped a curling effort into the opposite top corner to open the scoring.

Craig Bellamy, who had enjoyed an enterprising first-half, failed to cash in on Dyer's scintillating run on the stroke of half-time when he sliced wide, but the nerves were easing in the stands by the time the whistle came.

Villa started the second half brightly and United's nerves were jangling with seven minutes gone when Jonathan Woodgate limped off to be replaced by Titus Bramble.

United's love-hate relationship with Winter took a turn for the worse on 55 minutes when he decided not to penalise last man Olof Mellberg for what looked like a foul on Bellamy as he raced on to Shearer's flick-on, and their anger increased when Villa broke and substitute Peter Whittingham fired in a left-foot volley which Given had to claw out of his top corner.

But the game changed when Taylor replaced Hitzlsperger with Dublin on 65 minutes, and he needed only four minutes to make a major impact.

Villa were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out when Viana was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ronny Johnsen, and Staunton caught the home defence cold to pick out the unmarked striker, and he made no mistake to level.

Newcastle almost hit back immediately when Bellamy forced a good save from Enckelman and Mellberg somehow managed to clip the ball of Shearer's toe as he slid in to divert the Welshman's cross into the net.

Shearer, with blood once again pouring from his head, and Bernard made way for Shola Ameobi and LuaLua with 17 minutes remaining and they almost got Solano in at the far post when they linked up for the first time.

Both men figured repeatedly as time ran down with Ameobi heading over from Solano's cross, but it was LuaLua who went closest when his 89th-minute shot came back off the woodwork.

Teams

Newcastle Given, Griffin, Woodgate (Bramble 52), O'Brien, Bernard (LuaLua 73), Solano, Dyer, Hughes, Viana, Shearer (Ameobi 74), Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Acuna, Harper.

Goals: Solano 37.

Aston Villa Enckelman, Mellberg, Staunton, Johnsen, Samuel, Edwards (Taylor 33), Hitzlsperger (Dublin 65), Leonhardsen, Barry (Whittingham 45), Allback, Vassell.

Subs Not Used: Angel, Postma.

Booked: Barry.

Goals: Dublin 69.

Att: 52,015

Ref: J Winter (Cleveland).